Magic Cards and Perfect Strangers
by The Herald of the Star
Summary: While Sakura deals with the love she is feeling toward the new boy in town, a new card has arisen as well! Their adversary is not one to be taken lightly, either!
1. A Boy Named Misho

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Lee stared hard into the sky. He had been sensing a great power lately-- most likely a Clow.  
What else could it be? But there was something... unusual about this power. It was not like any  
of the other powers he had sensed before. Lee's eyes snapped open. Could it be--  
  
___________________________________________  
  
"Oh man! I'm gonna be so late for school!" groaned Sakura as she skated down the sidewalk,  
struggling to make it to school before the bell. Taking a corner too quickly, she tripped, crashing  
onto the pavement.  
  
"Ouch. This stinks," muttered Sakura as she lay in the sidewalk, too tired to get up.  
  
"Are you alright?" asked a voice.  
  
A shadow fell over Sakura. Trying to roll onto her back, she felt two arms wrap around her  
chest, pulling her to her feet. She turned around and looked at her helper. He was a teenager, not  
older than fifteen, with blue-dyed hair and a white shirt. He had strong hazel eyes and a cute  
smile.  
  
Sakura blushed. She felt so embarrassed that he had been holding her waist. He was really cute,  
though.  
  
"Thanks. I'm Sakura," she acknowledged, sticking her hand out.  
  
The boy scratched his head and smiled. He held her hand. "Hey. My name is Misho," he  
responded. He was still holding her hand. She blushed more deeply. A stinging sensation, though  
weak, stung her hand. She let go of Misho's hand.  
  
"Are you new around here?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Yeah. Relatively. I moved here a little less than a week ago. I don't know anyone."  
  
"Well, I could show you around the city," Sakura suggested.  
  
"That would be great! I need someone to show me this place. Here, lend me your arm." He  
pulled Sakura's sleeve up and scrawled a number on her hand.  
  
"Call me when you get home, and I'll meet you somewhere," he remarked, jogging off into the  
distance.  
  
"Okay," replied Sakura, in a voice too small for him to hear.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
The lunch bell rang with a strangeness that afternoon as Sakura and Madison made hast for the  
courtyard.  
  
Madison set her lunch down on the bench and stooped over to tie her left shoe. Standing back  
up, she noticed Sakura had an eager look on her face as she watched the clock with heavy eyes.  
Madison tapped her on the back. Sakura snapped instantly out of her phase and turned around.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are you waiting for something?" Madison asked.  
  
"Uh... no! Why would you think that?!" replied Sakura, giving Madison a goofy grin and  
scratching the back of her head.  
  
"What happened on the way to school today, Sakura?"  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all," remarked Sakura quickly. Madison grabbed Sakura's arm, lifting the  
sleeve up. A seven-digit number was written on her forearm.  
  
"Hey!" shouted Sakura, pulling her arm back and tripping, falling onto her back.  
  
"I noticed the ink on your sleeve. Who's phone number is that? Did you meet a guy?"  
  
Sakura hesitated as she got to her feet. "Uh... yeah. Sorta. He's new. His name's Misho."  
  
"Is he cute?"  
  
"Madison!!"  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Really cute."  
  
"Oh! How neat! Your first crush!"  
  
Sakura blushed. "It's not a crush!! And it's not my first! I mean-"  
  
"So you like him then."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Wow! I have to meet him, Sakura!"  
  
"No! I'm going to meet him later to show him around the city. I want you to stay out of my  
way."  
  
"Fine. Now let's eat lunch."  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
The sun held a thin glaze of amber light in the sky as Sakura entered the park, where she and  
Misho were going to meet up. Sakura searched the scenery. No Misho. He wouldn't stand her  
up, would he?! No! Misho was a gentleman. But Sakura did notice the unusual amount of fog in  
the park...  
  
Suddenly, a thin, almost silent voice entered Sakura's thoughts.  
  
"Card Captor..."  
  
Sakura yelped and spun around. There was nothing around. Had she imagined it? Maybe all the  
fighting was getting to her. But the cards couldn't talk. Could they? Was there a card here?  
Sakura knew her wand was in her backpack, so she was ready to fight. But where was it? She  
could sense it.  
  
"Card Captor... Sakura...."  
  
She dropped her pack to the ground, yanking out her wand and taking up a fighting stance. Now  
she knew she hadn't imagined the voice. It was real. But where was it proceeding from? Sakura  
closed her eyes and concentrated. Her mind wandered the empty park. There was a definite  
power, but she couldn't get an exact lock on it. Then she felt the arm grip her waist.  
  
She spontaneously screamed long and hard. In her anxious struggle to break free of her  
abductor's grasp, the wand fell from her grip, clattering to the ground. She tried desperately to  
grab it. Then she remembered all her experience. What was she doing? Screaming and struggling  
like a little child, that's what. She needed to fight back. Curling her legs back, she shoved them  
into her enemy's chest, expelling a loud groan from the figure as she rolled to the ground,  
reclaiming her wand and standing up to face her adversary.  
  
Misho moaned and rubbed his head. Sakura gasped. "Misho! Oh no, oh no, I'm sooo sorry! Are  
you alright?"  
  
Misho staggered to his feet. He smiled. "I guess grabbing you wasn't the best way to say hello.  
Nice kick."  
  
Sakura blushed. "Misho, I swear, I didn't know it was you. I thought I was being attacked. Why  
didn't you say something?"  
  
"I didn't have much time, you know. you're pretty fast."  
  
Sakura suddenly froze. "Did you see anyone leaving the park while you were coming here?"  
  
Misho wore a confused expression. "No... I only saw you."  
  
"Did you hear any... whispers?"  
  
"No! Is this some kind of game or something, Sakura?"  
  
"No. No, Misho. But, uh, let's get going. I'll show you the city. We've only got two or three  
hours."  
  
"Okay."  
  
______________________________________________________  
  
"And that's the mall over there," pointed Sakura as they passed by the huge building and its  
many sections. The two friends had been walking around all night.  
  
"Cool. I think you've shown me almost every single building in the city! But that's what I asked  
for, after all," remarked Misho. He scratched his head nervously. "Uh... want me to walk you to  
your house?"  
  
Sakura smiled. "Sure! I mean, yeah, that's okay."  
  
"So, Sakura, how long have you lived here?"  
  
"All my life. I've made a lot of friends here, and a few enemies."  
  
"Enemies? Who'd want to be your enemy?"  
  
"Well.... maybe more like a rival. His name, well, his name's not important. But we've sort of  
had a little conflict going on ever since we met."  
  
"Hmm. Maybe he's jealous."  
  
"I think it has to do a little more with pride than jealousy." Sakura said as she looked up. They  
were at her house. She looked at Misho. "Thanks for walking me home, Misho."  
  
Misho smiled brightly. "Don't give it a thought. Hey, I think I'll be starting school over at your  
place tomorrow. Maybe I'll have your class."  
  
Sakura smiled back at Misho. "Maybe you will."  
  
"Bye, Sakura."  
  
"Bye."  
  
________________________________________________________________  
  
Lee's phone rang. The Card Captor sprung forward, loosing his balance and crashing onto the  
floor. He sat upright and pulled the phone off its holder. "Hello?!"  
  
Meilin was on the other line. "Hey Lee you'll never guess what's going on Sakura has a  
boyfriend!!"  
  
Lee screamed into the phone. "What are you talking about??!!"  
  
"Madison told Josie who told Rei who told Jenny who told me that Sakura met this cute blue  
haired boy on the way to school and she has a crush on him and they went out together to see the  
city!!"  
  
Lee was silent. Then he whispered angrily. "Thank you, Meilin. I must be going now." He  
slammed the phone down on its holder.  
  
Lee grinded his teeth together. "Well... I guess I'm going to have to have a talk with Sakura  
then."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. The Next Day

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Quack-quack! Quack-quack!" came the familiar whine of Sakura's alarm clock as the sun  
glowed with a strong vibrance in through Sakura's window. Sakura yawned, sitting up in bed  
and rubbing her eyes.  
  
Kero sat nuzzled in the rolls of Sakura's sheets. She smiled, yanked her blanket forward, and  
sent Kero tumbling to the floor with an astonished look.  
  
"Sakura!!" Kero yelled in anger.  
  
Sakura laughed. Kero groaned as he flew back onto the bed. "I don't have to go to school, so just  
let me get some sleep, Sakura," Kero remarked as he snuggled up into the covers.  
  
Sakura left him on the bed and went over to her closet to change out of her pajamas. Kero shut  
his eyes and then yelled as a pair of pajama bottoms flew over his body, covering him. He  
struggled to get free.  
  
Sakura pulled on her school uniform as Kero finally freed himself from the clothes, falling to the  
floor in the shuffle. Sakura grabbed her backpack and her roller blades and hurried toward the  
door. She wasn't going to be late today. Not if Misho was going to be there. She hurriedly tied  
the roller blades on and skated out the door.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
She met Madison at the intersection. Madison gave Sakura a warm greeting. "Hey, Sakura. So  
how was last night?"  
  
An annoyed look came over Sakura's face. It was just like Madison to pry into Sakura's date.  
Wait. Date? Did she think it was a date? Did Misho think it was a date?  
  
Sakura's mind returned to reality as Madison tugged on her shirt. "Come on, Sakura... how was  
it?"  
  
"It was just a regular night. I met Misho in the park and we walked all over the city, until he had  
seen most of the cool stuff to do."  
  
"Sure, Sakura. That was all that happened?"  
  
"Well, actually, there was something else.... but it had nothing to do with Misho."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I was waiting in the park for Misho when I heard this eerie whisper. It was a strange voice, and  
I thought it might have been a card. But I knew cards didn't talk. So I didn't know what to  
expect. Then the voice came back a second time and I pulled out my wand. But the voice  
disappeared, and then Misho arrived."  
  
"Weird. Are you sure Misho didn't do it?"  
  
"Misho's too sweet a guy to do that."  
  
"Well then, maybe we should check out the park tonight and see what's happening."  
  
"Maybe you're right, Madison," smiled Sakura as she heard a faint bell ring in the distance. "Oh  
no! We're gonna be late again!!"  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Sakura and Madison arrived just in time for the final bell. After Sakura sat down in her desk, she  
searched the room for Misho. There wasn't any sign of him. Sakura slumped down. Maybe he  
wasn't in her class after all.  
  
Their teacher looked up. "Okay, students. Time for us to begin class," he started. Before he  
could go any further, however, someone knock on the door. The teacher walked over to the door,  
opened it, and received a note from someone the students could not see. Their teacher scratched  
his head.  
  
"Well, students, it seems as though we have a new classmate! I'd like you all to meet Misho  
Hotashima. I hope you'll all make him feel welcome."  
  
The tall, blue haired boy walked in through the doors. Sakura smiled as she saw him. He smiled  
back as soon as his eyes met Sakura's.  
  
"You can take a seat over there, Misho," said the teacher as Misho strolled over to a desk by the  
window and sat down.  
  
A girl poked Sakura in the ribs. "Do you know him?" she asked.  
  
"Yea," replied Sakura. "Why?"  
  
"Cause he's really cute," she responded.  
  
Madison passed Sakura a note. Sakura read it to herself. {Sakura, I had no idea your boyfriend  
was so cute! He's a total hunk! Maybe you can get him to eat with us at lunch!} Sakura stared at  
Madison. She only waved.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
The bell rang, signaling time for lunch. Misho rose from his chair and walked over to Sakura.  
She stood up.  
  
"Sakura, I'm glad I'm in your class," he said, pausing to smile.  
  
"Me too," she returned.  
  
Madison walked up to the two. "Hi. I'm Madison, Sakura's best friend. Sakura told me all about  
you."  
  
Sakura punched her in the ribs.  
  
Misho smirked. "Well, is that so? She failed to tell me what lovely friends she had," he  
answered.  
  
Madison blushed. Sakura turned back to Misho. 'So, uh, you wanna have lunch with us?"  
  
"Sure. I don't know anybody else around here."  
  
The three started toward the courtyard. As they walked past the door, a hand grabbed Sakura's  
shoulder and pulled her back. It was Lee. Misho's hand shot out and grasped Lee's arm firmly.  
The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments. Sakura broke it up. Lee was the first  
to speak, after Misho released Lee's arm.  
  
"Sakura, I need to talk to you... alone," Lee said in a stiff voice void of emotion.  
  
"Uh... okay, Lee. Madison, show Misho to the court. I'll meet you two in a while."  
  
Madison nodded her head and pulled Misho down the hall, his eyes planted on Lee until he  
disappeared around the corner.  
  
Lee turned to Sakura. "I sense a presence."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I told you-- there's a new card around here somewhere. I don't know where. But it's strong.  
And I think we need to go looking for it."  
  
"So? What does that have to do with me?"  
  
"You need to stop focusing on that guy and start focusing on capturing cards!!" shouted Lee.  
  
Sakura's face swelled up with anger. "You-- you can't tell me what to do!! And it's not like I'm  
in love with Misho or anything!! You-- you jerk!!" she shouted as she stormed off. Lee followed  
her with his eyes. That guy was trouble.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Madison sat with Misho in the courtyard as they waited for Sakura.  
  
"So, Misho, why aren't you wearing a uniform?"  
  
"Those uniforms are kind of dorky. I mean, the girls look cute, but the boys look weird in them. I  
didn't feel like wearing one."  
  
"But you'll get in trouble!"  
  
"Surprisingly, it hasn't come up. And since tomorrow is Saturday, I have a while before I have to  
wear a uniform anyway." Misho leaned against a tree and stared at the sky. "It's so beautiful, the  
sky. And so quiet. I wish I could spend the rest of my life here."  
  
Madison looked at him oddly.  
  
Sakura rushed up to the duo. "Sorry it took so long. Lee was just whining about stuff."  
  
Misho grunted. "I don't like the looks of that guy. Is he your friend?"  
  
"In a way. But he's harmless, Misho. Really."  
  
Madison grinned and poked Misho in the ribs. "Why do you care about Lee so much, Misho?  
Afraid of a little competition?"  
  
Misho looked at Sakura. She blushed. He blushed. Madison smiled, happy that she had made her  
point.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. The Night

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The night blushed with the cold chills of an icy ridge as Lee sat at ready in a high branch in the  
trees. He stared into the blackness of the night, the only gleam of florescence being the  
streetlights surrounding the park. In his mind, Lee replayed Misho's angry look in his mind. That  
jerk! He couldn't have Sakura! He didn't deserve her!  
  
A rustling noise in the bushes below roused Lee's suspicion. Yelling, he leapt into the bushes,  
attacking whatever laid there in hiding.  
  
"Oww!! Lee!!" screamed Meilin as Lee looked at who he was lying on. He was on top of that  
annoying girl. He moved to his feet and brushed himself off.  
  
Meilin stood up next to him. He glanced angrily at her, then turned away. "What were you doing  
here?!" he asked in an irritated voice.  
  
"I came here to look for the card," she replied.  
  
"Did you hear me talking to Sakura?" he said, angered at her invasion of privacy.  
  
"Yeah. I was passing by in the hallway. So sue me."  
  
A flashlight shined in the two arguing card captors' faces as Madison and Sakura walked up,  
following by Kero. "Aww, look at the cute couple," smiled Madison smugly. Lee and Meilin  
grunted and turned away from each other.  
  
Sakura walked up. "Okay, Lee, so where's this new card?"  
  
"I'm not sure yet. You guys probably scared it off," he replied.  
  
"Then use your magic thingy to find it," shouted Sakura.  
  
Lee set his mystical tool on the ground, hoping it would help him find the card. After all the  
necessary chanting, they waited. Nothing.  
  
"Great job, kid," said Kero.  
  
"Oh, shut up."  
  
At that instant, the light burst forth as if on a command, sending Lee sprawling in the grass and  
the girls backing away in fear. The beam of thin blue light shot straight up into the sky.  
  
"What? How could the card be up there?" wondered Lee.  
  
"Hmm.... this is very strange," noted Kero.  
  
Slowly, the wind began to pick up. The clouds, silent and still, began to grow covering up the  
stars. The wind blew with unkempt fury as it pitched leaves and even branches across the grass.  
Lee held onto his hat. Sakura held her dress down. Kero struggled to keep from blowing away.  
  
"What going on?!" shouted Lee against the wind. Suddenly, a blaze of blue light darted toward  
the card captors, smacking Lee backwards and flying into the bushes as it left the card captor  
lying in the grass. He rubbed his head as Meilin ran up to him, followed by Sakura and Madison,  
who's camera was taping the whole thing.  
  
"Lee! Lee! Are you okay?!" cried Meilin as she cradled his head in her arms. He opened his eyes,  
looking at her smiling face. She cried out in joy and hugged him.  
  
"Can't-- breath--" Lee squeezed out.  
  
Sakura stared into the dark sky. There was an irregular moon. As she looked closer, the moon  
changed shape and sprang to the earth. Madison screamed and dropped to the ground, her  
camera falling a few feet away.  
  
The shape darted and jumped across the grass, slicing through branches and making small  
craters where it landed, until it came to rest on the ground about a hundred feet away. Sakura  
tensed. What was this thing? It was so fast, and able to change its form, even fly! What kind of a  
card was it? Sakura wasn't sure what to do.  
  
"Kero!"  
  
"I don't know, Sakura. This card is definitely not normal," Kero responded in a confused  
manner.  
  
Sakura approached the form with a stiffened gaze. She wouldn't have admitted it, but she was  
scared out of her mind. The form shifted to the left an inch. Sakura screamed and fell onto her  
butt.  
  
Lee ran past her. "Let a real card captor handle this!!" he yelled as he charged at the creature. It  
raised its head, its harsh, blue retinas stringing a look of death through its gaze. Lee's eyes  
opened wide right before the card sprung directly into the card captor's chest, knocking him to  
the ground senseless.  
  
Sakura rose to her feet. This card was too big of a threat to allow out of this park. She raised her  
wand as the card rushed toward her with a menacing expression. As it prepared to grab her, she  
brought the wand down on it.  
  
"Return to your power confined!!" she screamed.  
  
An incredible explosion racked the park. Sakura was blown backward, onto the grass next to the  
terrified Madison. Meilin sat next to the unconscious Lee, while Kero stared anxiously toward  
the center of the explosion.  
  
As the smoke cleared, Kero looked where a card should have lain, now returned to its original  
form. But instead the beast remained. No, it wasn't the creature, but something different. This  
was something new. this 'new card' was no longer a solid blue enemy, but a human-like  
character, a young man, draped in a brown cloak and wearing an evil smile. His complexion was  
the color of flesh, and he had hair of deep red.  
  
"Greetings, card captors," said the monster as it rose from the crater.  
  
Sakura and Madison gasped. The cards couldn't talk! What was going on? "Kero!! What's  
happening?!" shouted Sakura as the new card approached her.  
  
"No... it shouldn't be here... it shouldn't..." stammered Kero as he stared transfixed at the man in  
the cloak.  
  
The card turned his head. "Ah, Kero! Protector of the Clow cards! I'm willing to bet you never  
thought you'd see me again."  
  
Kero hesitated. Sakura shouted to him. "Kero, what is this card?!"  
  
Kero ignored Sakura's question, instead focusing on the man fast approaching. "You can't be  
here. Clow Reid burnt your card long ago."  
  
The man laughed. "You think that fire is where I fall? Never could I be constricted so easily. I  
think that Clow Reid may have burnt the wrong card."  
  
Sakura picked up her wand and looked at it. How could it have failed to capture the card? What  
card was it? There wasn't time to think about it anymore. Kero needed help. Sakura rushed  
toward the guardian and the card, hopping on her wand as it grew wings and sent her straight  
toward the card at an even faster speed.  
  
The card spun around to face Sakura as she sped at him. He smiled evilly. "So you want to have  
some fun? That's exactly what I was hoping for."  
  
The card darted into the air, in a direct line up. Sakura pulled the head of the wand up, following  
the Clow card in hot pursuit. It was not that easy, though. The card darted across buildings,  
leading Sakura on a wild chase through the city. he dove down into the mall parkade. Sakura  
burst after him. She sorted through her cards. The shadow card. She stopped in the empty upper  
lot and hopped off her stick, tossing the card into the air and releasing its powers.  
  
A dark, hooded figure floated in front of her. She pointed at the man, now seated across the  
room. "Get him."  
  
The shadow card charged at Sakura's command. It raced toward the human Clow card at an  
inhuman speed, blasting him into the wall with its dark energy. The shadow card wrapped itself  
around the man, trapping him in its skin. As Sakura ran up to capture the Clow, the shadow card  
unraveled and exploded into the floor like it had been hit by a cannon. the man stood unfazed,  
his hand extended and a strange burning glaze encompassing the tips of his fingers. Sakura  
gasped. The card had defeated shadow!  
  
"Trust me, Sakura, I doubt any of your cards have enough power to stop me," said the man as he  
walked slowly toward her.  
  
Lee and the others ran into the building. As the others stood there panting, Lee dashed forward,  
bringing his sword down onto the man's left arm, slicing it clean off. The man didn't flinch at  
the least. Blood dripped down from the disengaged socket. The limb lay motionlessly on the  
ground.  
  
Lee stared at the blood with a stern face. Sakura had to hold her hands over her mouth to keep  
from screaming. The man smiled and turned to Lee. His eyes opened wide in a display of  
absolute fear. The man picked him up by the shirt collar.  
  
"Very good, Lee."  
  
He dropped the captor to the cement floor of the parkade, as gusts of wind satiated the area. As  
Sakura stared, the winds covered up the form of the Clow card, until he disappeared from vision.  
  
  
Sakura wobbly rose to her feet and stumbled over to Lee, helping him up. He rubbed his head.  
Kero approached The two. Lee looked at him with eyes that held a secret. "Sakura," started  
Kero, gazing at the innocent girl, "we need to have a talk."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. The New Card

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sakura and the other card captors sat in a circle in the empty parkade, their eyes all focused on  
hovering Kero. Meilin gripped Li's arm tightly, while Madison checked her video camera to  
make sure it wasn't broken.  
  
"Okay," said Kero, "it's probably best if I start at the beginning."  
  
"No duh," murmured Li.  
  
"Syaoran!" said Meilin, slapping Li across his face.  
  
"Okay. Uh... you see, in the beginning, there were originally 53 cards."  
  
"What?" shouted Sakura suddenly. She blushed and covered her mouth.  
  
Kero wore an annoyed expression. "Anyway, there were 53 cards to begin with, but Clow Read  
had fought them all, and won, so it seemed as though there was no real concern. One of the  
cards, however, was incredibly strong. Stronger than all the cards in the deck combined."  
  
"This card had taken several times to catch. It had the ability to deflect the powers of Read's  
binding powers. Read had to use everything he had to capture that card. It was almost human. It  
thought like a human, spoke like a human, and even looked like a human. But his powers.... oh,  
his powers were unrivaled by any other card in that book."  
  
"To these things Clow Read made note. The card had the ability to use all of the powers of the  
other cards at the same time. And it had a hunger. A hunger for power. It would have most likely  
destroyed much of the world if Clow Read hadn't captured it when he had."  
  
"When he captured this card, he decided the best course of action for the world was to burn the  
card and leave it at that. There could be no threat if the card was gone. So he made a sacred seal  
over the card, then he burnt it in the deepest fires, and made sure that it would never return."  
  
"What is the card called, Kero?" asked Sakura hesitantly.  
  
"It is the Infinity," Kero responded. "I thought Clow Read had destroyed it and that it would  
never return. Somehow, it escaped its fiery demise and now the world's in danger."  
  
Syaoran stood up. "That thing... I've seen it before. Our family crest, it has the Infinity's symbol  
engraved on it."  
  
"The Infinity is no doubt seeking to destroy all known card captors. my bet is that he will show  
up again, and soon. His goal will be to kill you all."  
  
"But I don't wanna die!" screamed Meilin, squeezing Li in fear. Li struggled for air.  
  
"I don't think you or Madison have anything to worry about, Meilin," said Sakura. "He only  
wants those who can confine him."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Sakura didn't sleep all night. She kept going over what she should do with Kero. If the card  
couldn't be confined without immense injury to slow it down, then it would be hard for a bunch  
of kids to stop him.  
  
School wasn't too fun, either. All the friends who had experienced the events the previous night  
were too shaken up to do much of anything.  
  
At lunch time, Sakura stayed in the room instead of going outside. Misho approached her with a  
look of concern. "Sakura-- what's wrong?"  
  
Sakura looked up at him with tear filled eyes. She stood up and hugged him tightly. "Misho! I'm  
so frightened!"  
  
Misho smiled and held her close to him. "It's okay, Sakura... it's okay..."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
After school, Misho walked with Sakura down to the stream behind the park. They sat together  
in the grass.  
  
"Misho," started Sakura, "I'm scared."  
  
Misho smiled and draped his right arm over Sakura's shoulders. She looked over at him and  
blushed. He brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Sakura, whatever is going on... I can help you get  
through it."  
  
Sakura felt tired. It was as if she was in a sort of dream state. Her mind wandered through the  
clouds of thoughts. What was going on? Everything that was happening-- it was making no sense  
at all.  
  
Suddenly, Misho pulled Sakura closer. Shadows covered his face. "Sakura--"  
  
"Yeah?" Sakura answered.  
  
"I needed to tell you... how I feel..."  
  
Sakura looked into Misho's eyes. He gazed back at her. The two kissed longingly. The dream  
state wrapped around her even more. She felt happy, joyous, even though there were problems  
all around her. For that silent moment, Sakura's troubles were relieved. Mist seemed to roll in  
around the area, and Misho disappeared within the mist's folds of grey, as Sakura's eyes closed  
and she fell into a deep sleep.  
  
When she awoke, it was nearly five, and she hurried home. As she walked through the door, she  
was greeted by an angry Kero.  
  
"Sakura! Where have you been?" he demanded angrily.  
  
"Sorry, Kero. I had, uh, some work to do after school."  
  
"I very much doubt that homework is more important than saving your own life!!" shouted Kero  
as he bit onto Sakura's shirt and tugged her up to her room.  
  
Kero quickly flew over to Sakura's bed and started talking immediately. "Okay, so we have a  
new card to fight. We can work with that. The Infinity card is the strongest card in the deck so  
we're going to have to use all of our cards to fight it. Shadow, Windy, Fiery, you get the idea.  
The Infinity has no weakness. Our only chance is to lower its strength by bombarding it with the  
other cards until its too tired to resist confinement. Oh, how I wish Clow Read was here right  
now."  
  
"Kero, do you think we should gather the others?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Good idea, kid. You call em' while I get the book out."  
  
Sakura picked up the phone and dialed Syaoran's number. She let the phone ring about eight  
times before deciding he wasn't going to pick up. Next, she called Madison. She picked up the  
phone on the second ring and said she'd be right over. Then Sakura tried Meilin. No answer  
there. Sakura thrust the phone back down onto the holder and went over to Kero, who had  
moved the book about halfway across the floor. She went over and picked it up and set it on the  
bed. Opening it up, she picked out the Shadow, the Windy, the Fiery, the Watery, and the Erase.  
  
"How about these ones?"  
  
Kero shrugged. "You might as well bring them all, Sakura, cause we're gonna need every last  
one."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
The night seemed so empty and lifeless at the end of the day. Sakura stared silently out the  
window and around the city. She wondered where the Infinity card could possibly be. Where was  
it hiding? What was it planning?  
  
Sakura tensed. She felt around her neck. She was missing her pendant! She nudged the snoring  
Kero roughly. "Kero! Kero!"  
  
Kero slowly came to his senses and looked up at Sakura. "What is it, Sakura?"  
  
"The pendant's gone! I must've lost it!"  
  
Kero jumped into the air and flew around the room in panic. "AHH!! YOU LOST THE  
PENDANT????!! NO!!!!! HOW COULD THIS HAVE POSSIBLY HAPPENED???!!!!"  
  
"I-- I don't know what to say, Kero."  
  
"Okay... let's calm down. We'll retrace your steps. Tell me everything you did yesterday, and  
everywhere you went."  
  
"Okay.... I woke up got dressed, went to school, but it was there because I remember taking it off  
during physical education. Then I remember putting it back on in the locker room, and going to  
lunch, and then I left school with Mi--" She covered her mouth.  
  
"Misho? That guy you've been hanging out with? He took it?"  
  
"No! He'd never steal anything!"  
  
"Sakura, you've only known the guy for three days. Exactly how much can you trust him?"  
  
Sakura looked at Kero.  
  
Kero sighed. "Oh, right. love. Well, tomorrow, we'll have to find your buddy and see if maybe  
he found it or something. If he didn't then there's one other way to recover it, though taking a  
toll on my strength."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Infinity Revealed

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sakura wavered. She was so stressed out over everything that was happening. Syaoran  
hadn't shown up yet. They were supposed to meet in the park with Meilin and  
Madison. The whole situation was out of control.  
  
A shadow fell over Sakura's form. She spun around. Misho smiled at her. "Hey,  
Sakura."  
  
"Oh, it's you. Uh, hey, Misho."  
  
"How are you doing?"  
  
"Okay, I guess. Misho, you didn't by chance find a pendant shaped like a key with a  
bird's head lying around somewhere, did you?"  
  
"Sorry, Sakura, can't say I did."  
  
Sakura could hear Kero groan from inside her backpack. She groaned too. Now she  
couldn't even summon any cards. Li was the only one now. Where was he anyway?  
  
"Well, thanks anyway, Misho."  
  
Madison and Meilin came walking up the path through the park. They stopped next  
to Sakura and Misho. Misho smiled. The girls didn't seem to be in a very good mood.  
  
"Where's Syaoran?" asked Meilin fearfully.  
  
"I don't know. I thought he'd be here by now," replied Sakura.  
  
"Let's wait a little longer, Sakura," advised Madison. The others agreed.  
  
Misho stood there with a confused expression. "Uh, what are you guys talking  
about?"  
  
"Nothing, Misho," responded Sakura.  
  
Meilin looked around. "Hey, girls, what's going on?"  
  
Sakura and the others didn't follow her. Then they looked around. Nobody was  
moving. Everything was silent. The world seemed to be frozen.  
  
"The Time card?" stumbled Sakura as she jumped to her feet.  
  
Kero forced his way out of Sakura's bag and landed on her shoulder. "AHH!!  
SAKURA, THERE'S A MONSTER ON YOUR SHOULDER!!" screamed Misho as  
he batted at it with his hands. Kero bit him. Misho screamed and fell over.  
  
"Sakura, it isn't the time card, we already have that one. It has to be the Infinity card  
using the Time card's abilities."  
  
"Oh! Right. So where is it coming from then?"  
  
"If I were to make a bet, I'd say that skyscraper by the mall."  
  
Misho got slowly to his feet. "Wha... what is that thing?" he asked, backing away and  
toward Madison and Meilin.  
  
"This is Kero. I guess there's no use uh, hiding him anymore. Madison, Meilin, come  
on!" shouted Sakura as she and the other girls ran down the hill and toward the main  
city.  
  
Misho watched them run off into the distance. A smile formed across his lips.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
He picked up the pencil.  
  
"And as the girls, now powerless without the ability to summon cards, rushed toward  
their eventual demise, a huge, blackened tower rose from the ashes of the earth,  
reaching with its sharp, pointed sides toward the sky. And they were riveted by its  
appearance, and then time remained frozen, and they knew that if they were going to  
find the card they desired, they would have to enter the tower themselves."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"So you lost the pendant?!" said Madison as they rushed toward the mall.  
  
"I didn't mean to! I don't know what happened to it!"  
  
"Does this mean we're running into battle without any sort of weapon to defend  
ourselves?" shouted Meilin in question.  
  
"Yes."  
  
A quaking sensation ripped through the ground, throwing the three girls to their feet.  
Kero looked around in confusion. A huge, black tower erupted from the ground,  
throwing cement and asphalt everywhere. It grew higher, and higher, until it had  
become taller than any of the skyscrapers in the city.  
  
"The Create card," said Kero in a frightened tone.  
  
"The Infinity has to be inside that tower. The only way to get to him is to go inside  
and take care of him ourselves," Sakura observed through grim vision.  
  
"Then we'll have to be careful," said Madison.  
  
"I don't care! I want to find Syaoran!" shouted Meilin in a protest.  
  
"I have no idea where he could be, Meilin. He's probably frozen with the other  
people in the city."  
  
"Yea," started Kero, "that's another thing that bothers me. How is it that we all  
weren't frozen? I know the Infinity has some menacing powers, but he's bending the  
natural abilities of the cards."  
  
"It makes no sense," answered Sakura.  
  
"Hey! Sakura! Wait up!" yelled Misho as he jogged down the road, coming to a halt  
next to her and the others. "Will someone explain what's happening to me?"  
  
"It's too complicated, Misho. I think you should wait out here while we go inside."  
  
"No! I'm not going to let my friend go in without any weapons! I want to help you!"  
  
"Fine," said Sakura. "Follow me."  
  
Sakura approached the door. She looked up. The head of a lion served as a door-knocker. The  
door was far too large to be opened by force. Sakura groaned and leaned  
on the door. The door suddenly pushed inward, and Sakura fell in, flat on her face.  
  
"Good going, Sakura," remarked Kero. "Now come on, let's go find that card."  
  
Inside, they were met with a long, stone pathway. Ahead was a forest of tall trees.  
They touched the blackness of the ceiling, like the pinnacles of great towers of the  
past ages of sword and sorcery. Their appearance was almost menacing.  
  
"Kero, what now?" asked Sakura. Before the small, winged guardian could reply,  
however, a different voice responded from the shadowed rafters of the citadel.  
  
"Card captor, surely you'd know better than to refer to a weak guardian for  
assistance. Why not ask the one who created this himself?" laughed the Infinity card  
as he floated down from the ceiling.  
  
"Yo--"  
  
"Now, now, Keroberos, there is no need to speak. It is I who have the floor. You see,  
it has been so long since I've walked the earth. I am free from my bonds at long last.  
And I intend to have my complete and utter revenge. Unfortunately, Clow Read is  
nowhere to be found." He shifted in the pocket of his cloak until he found what he  
was looking for.  
  
"My pendant!" shouted Sakura as the Infinity card held out the dangling chain  
toward the card captor. "How did you get it?"  
  
"A true master never reveals his sources, Card Captor Sakura. His means lay hidden  
within his words. Only the operative that would not double another would be a  
wasteful spy."  
  
The winds picked up. Kero flew upward, and into the waiting hands of Infinity, who  
used the power of the Lock card to confine Kero. "Now, if you want to see your  
friend the guardian again, or to see your little friend Syaoran Li, you'll go through the  
obstacles in this tower, and reach me at the top. Then we'll see what happens."  
  
Meilin started to cry. "Give me back my Li!!!"  
  
The Infinity tossed Sakura's pendant to her. "I think you may need this, card captor.  
I merely possessed it to keep you from meddling in my affairs until the proper time  
came. Now, I wish you good luck, Card Captor Sakura, that you would pass my tests  
before they kill you." With those few final words, he disappeared up through the  
ceiling.  
  
"Come on, guys!! We can't let him hurt li and Kero!!" shouted Sakura as she headed  
toward the dense forest ahead, Meilin and Madison close behind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Through the Tower

  
  
  
  
  
The card captors stared blankly into the abyss. Ahead lay a forest full of unimaginable  
things, making Sakura rather tense. Misho was blank, Madison was nervous, and  
Meilin was less than enthusiastic.  
  
"Well," started Sakura, "let's go, team. We can't let a forest scare us off." She calmly  
entered the thick, huge masses of trees.  
  
All around them, darkness blanketed the forest. Sakura open the Clow and pulled out  
the Glow card. Once freed, the Glow led the team through the forest with her lights.  
Sakura glanced further into the blackness that had yet been untouched by Glow's  
light. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She yelped and jumped forward.  
"Misho! Don't do that!"  
  
"It wasn't me, Sakura."  
  
"Umm... okay. Meilin, Madison!"  
  
"I didn't do it," the two responded in unison.  
  
"Then... who..." Sakura stuttered. A hand fell on her shoulder again. She spun  
around. The trees were moving! It was Infinity using the Wood card!  
  
Sakura jumped away. As she did so, the trees began to encompass the group, trapping  
them all inside a wall of the forest. They stood on all sides, encommpassing them  
within their wooden bonds. Sakura pulled out another card. "Fiery!!" she shouted as  
she let out the winged Clow of fire. It sprayed the trees with a heavy layering of  
flames, burning them to the ground, one by one. Yet still more came.  
  
A tree lashed out at the Fiery, knocking it to the ground. The trees moved in and  
began to smother it, as Sakura drew yet another card, this time the Shadow card, and  
released it upon the trees, wrapping them up in the shadows of the citadel. Suddenly,  
the trees were still and silent.  
  
"The trees all stopped," said Madison.  
  
"Yeah. I guess we can move on," Sakura remarked. The Shadow and the Fiery  
returned to their card forms and the glow card led them further into the trees. Soon,  
the group was at a door. A large, heavy lock held the door shut. Sakura drew the  
Sword card, slashing easily through the metal hold. Misho forced the door open.  
  
Inside the room was a world of perfect snow. White sand covered the entire region,  
and snowflakes fell from overhead. Sakura motioned the others to follow closely as  
she confined the Glow card once more.  
  
Sakura felt a chill. She whirled to her left. A lone figure stood across the room. Its  
familiar garments displayed a fighting warrior. The small girl turned her head up at  
Sakura.  
  
Sakura gasped. "The Fight card! But how can the Infinity make a double of the real  
card's appearance?"  
  
"It must be some sort of illusion. He's probably masking himself behind the card,"  
observed Misho.  
  
Suddenly, Madison felt a rush of cold spring up behind her. She turned and  
screamed. Behind the group, a giant mountain of snow stood ready to crash upon  
them.  
  
"RUN!!" screamed Madison. The others followed her as the wall collapsed on the  
ground with enough force to crush a house. The Fight card darted across the icy  
waters between her and the card captors. It blocked their path.  
  
Sakura stared angrily at the Fight card and drew her own Fight card. The two cards,  
both equal members in strength and skill, gazed at each other without the smallest  
hint of emotion. Of course, what was to be expected by two such cards created merely  
as a tool of battle?  
  
Sakura's Fight sprang at the Infinity with a sense of intense mental havoc. It struck  
Infinity in the face with an incredible force as it pushed the Infinity backward. The  
Infinity card, angered beyond belief, began fighting back with equal force.  
  
A hand thrust forth from the snowy ground and grabbed Madison's leg. She screamed  
as she was pulled beneath the blanket of white.  
  
Sakura watched her friend fall in horror. "MADISON!!" she screamed as she dove for  
her friend's outreaching hand... and missed.  
  
The Infinity grabbed the Fight and put it into an armlock, keeping it from fighting  
back. It forced the Fight to its knees and shoved its head beneath the icy waters. The  
Fight card struggled to escape the depths of the water, and the intense cold, but it was  
futile. Soon the Fight card lay unmoving on the ground, the Infinity by its side.  
  
Sakura gasped. Misho grabbed her arms. "Sakura, we can't stay here! It'll kill us all!  
Come on!"  
  
Meilin was waiting by the exit to the room as Misho and Sakura came running up,  
the fake Fight card hot on their trail. Meilin stepped forward, standing between the  
Fight and Sakura. "You two go ahead! Save Syaoran! I will remain here and fight the  
enemy! Syaoran is the only thing that matters now! Go!"  
  
Sakura reached for Meilin, but Misho pulled her through the door.  
  
In the next room, the only apparent feature was a long silver bridge. Beneath it, the  
cavernous mouth of total blackness loomed. Who knew what horrors might lay  
within.  
  
"Come on, Sakura. Let's go save your friends," remarked Misho as he stepped onto  
the bridge and began walking toward the other side.  
  
A hissing sound caught Sakura's ears. She searched the thick nothingness. She didn't  
see any sign of a card. But what was the sound?  
  
The Shadow?  
  
Misho's shrill scream brought her back to reality as she saw him, struggling to break  
free from hands out of the darkness. The hands were as black as that which was  
around them. They gripped Misho's body as though they had the command to rip  
him to pieces. They yanked at him, pulling him toward the edge, not bothering  
releasing him no matter how much he struggled. Sakura drew the Light card. She  
knew it was risky to release such a powerful card, but it was the only way to save  
Misho. She wouldn't let him go like all the others.  
  
"I summon you... Light Card!!"  
  
The Clow broke its seal, releasing the powerful Light card. Its energy instantly lit up  
the room, destroying the power of the Shadow. Sakura ran up to Misho and helped  
him to his feet. "Misho, are you... okay?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine, Sakura."  
  
"Then get up and let's get going. When I confine the light card, we have to make a  
run for it. You got it?"  
  
Misho nodded his head in agreement.  
  
"Light card... return to your power-- CONFINED!!!" shouted Sakura as the Light's  
power was reabsorbed into its contained form. Sakura pocketed the card and then  
shouted. "RUN!!"  
  
The ground began to break away from the bridge as the two remaining heroes ran for  
the door at the end of the room. The Shadow card ate away at the floor behind them,  
approaching with the shatter of stone. Sakura and Misho dove toward the door,  
breaking it open and tumbling through on the other side. They rolled a distance, then  
finally came to a halt on the smooth floor.  
  
"Ow." Sakura rubbed her head as Misho rose to his feet and closed the door quickly.  
He rejoined Sakura and the two looked around the new room.  
  
It was a large room, with huge, Gothic-like windows all across the walls. Rich designs  
in the stone ceiling bore the facades of dragons and other creatures. Drapes hung  
open at each window which looked out onto a frozen city of lifelessness. It seemed as  
though the effects of the Time card had yet to wear off. A pentagram lay as a sort of  
imprint on the floor.  
  
Sakura stopped in the middle of the room. She noticed a sight that chilled her blood.  
Against the wall adjacent to herself, there hung the unmoving forms of three figures.  
Syaoran, Madison, and Meilin all hung lifelessly from chains locked around their  
wrists. A cage lay at their feet. The unconscious form slumped within was none other  
than that of Keroberos, the guardian of the Clow.  
  
"Oh my God... Misho..." started Sakura.  
  
Misho set his right arm on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Sakura. They're not dead. Yet,  
that is."  
  
Sakura whirled around and gasped at Misho, his once hazel eyes burning with a  
redness unknown to her until now. His head hung toward the floor and he stared at  
her with the most wicked of smiles, one so wicked that it made her shiver like she had  
been covered in a wave of ice.  
  
"Now, Sakura, you can stay here... with me... forever." 


	7. Versus

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wha- what are you talking about, Misho?" asked Sakura as she backed away from  
the silent staring boy.  
  
"He... he said that if I brought you this far... he said I could keep you for myself when  
he was done," said Misho coldly.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The master."  
  
Then, like a great fire, smoke poured up from the floor, covering the ground up to  
Sakura's legs. Slowly the smoke began to gather into a form. The form of a man. The  
form of the Infinity.  
  
Coldly and harshly, the man smiled. "Very good job, Misho. Your work is done here."  
  
Misho ambled over to the Clow card. "Yes, yes my lord, but I get to keep her! You  
promis-"  
  
Infinity halted Misho in mid-sentence. "You will get your desire, Misho, but not until  
after I have made sure she is no longer a threat." He turned toward Sakura and sent a  
dark stare at her. His lips curled up into an impish smile.  
  
Sakura looked from Misho to the Clow card, and then back. "But what's going on  
here?"  
  
The Infinity card laughed in an evil tone. "Card Captor Sakura, you fool! How easily  
I can deceive you! No matter though, give me a moment and I'll explain the entire  
story in precise detail."  
  
The card cleared its throat. "Clow Read saw to it that I was destroyed. Or so he  
thought. Even sealed within a card, I was still as strong as now. I composed of myself  
enough power to survive beneath the fires of the darkest tomb in the deepest  
mountains I became imprisoned in! I survived, but I was sealed at the bottom of  
those fires for eons! Finally, enough power had faded out so I could break the seal and  
escape."  
  
"I was weak, and spent many long years gaining back my strength, all the while  
wondering what had happened in the world. Finally, about a month ago, I had  
become strong enough to leave my holdings and view the world for my own. I found  
that the card captors had not yet vanished from existence, and were still a threat to  
my hazardous nature. I had to eliminate them all. Starting with you."  
  
Infinity drew up a chair and sat down. Sakura stayed motionless as the card told his  
story to her. "Soon, Sakura, I had decided the most effective way to defeat you was to  
take your mind off your duties. I devised a clone of myself with the abilities of the  
Twin card, and that was the birth of Misho, my equal in a young man. He lured you  
away from the sense of my presence by emitting his own aura to shield my power. He  
was the one that took your key, long enough for me to build this and to finish  
preparations for the final battle. I captured young Li Syaoran on his way to meet you,  
and chained him unconscious in here."  
  
Sakura screamed. "How could you? Hurt Syaoran like that?! Deceive me and hurt the  
ones I care about the most?!"  
  
Infinity merely smiled again. "Chatter is useless. I have no feelings for those puny  
fools. You are the only one strong enough to capture me. So you must die."  
  
Sakura gazed at Infinity intently. While he had been relating his story, she had been  
thinking of a plan to defeat the cruel and almost unbeatable card before her. She  
gritted her teeth. She slipped a card into her hand and held it concealed in her palm,  
waiting to strike.  
  
Infinity rose to his feet. This was the chance she wanted. She threw the card into the  
air, striking it with her wand and releasing the Watery. It streamlined toward the evil  
Clow card, who had obviously not expected such a quick start to the battle. The card  
hit the Infinity squarely in the chest and threw him against the wall on the other side  
of the room.  
  
Misho charged at Sakura, screaming. She had already drawn the Lock card and in a  
moment Misho was struggling, trapped in a tangle of chains. Her next move was to  
free her friends. Summoning the Sword, she sliced through her friends' chains,  
dropping Meilin, Syaoran, and Madison to the ground. She cut cleanly through  
Kero's cage, freeing him as well. None of them moved, though. They were fast  
silenced to dreams.  
  
The Infinity roared upward. The Watery smashed against the walls and fell to the  
ground, unmoving. Infinity stared at Sakura in spite. "Well, card captor," he started  
in a harsh, cold voice, "I must say I did not expect you to be so forward. Very well,  
then. If you wish to fight this way, fine."  
  
The Infinity card brought up his hands and formed a globe of light. "If I combine the  
powers of the Shot and the Arrow, I now have an incredibly deadly weapon that  
could likely kill you with one direct hit."  
  
Sakura began to sweat.  
  
Infinity smiled. "Run."  
  
Sakura summoned Fly and blasted into the air on her wand, heading for the ceiling.  
The infinity began to fire blasts of energy at her, blowing through walls and windows,  
Sakura barely dodging them. She roared by the doorway as the dark Clow card blew  
it to pieces with another blast. Great. The last exit was gone.  
  
Syaoran grumbled and opened his eyes. He checked his surroundings. He was facing  
the floor, on his chest, and felt weak. An explosion-like noise caused him to turn over  
onto his back. He spotted Sakura fighting the Infinity card. Unable to speak, all  
Syaoran Li could do was watch and pray Sakura could stay alive.  
  
Sakura zoomed by a window as the Infinity's shattering blast blew it to pieces.  
Sakura's mind was racing. She had no real recourse. Her battle was losing  
momentum. She summoned up the Power card, her last and best hope, and dove  
toward Infinity. Infinity smiled and launched a blast straight at Sakura. It rolled right  
off her, the Power using its incredible strength to withstand the blows. Sakura  
slammed into the Infinity card, pushing it forward and toward the wall.  
  
"NO!" screamed Infinity right before the evil Clow card and Sakura plunged through  
the window and dropped hundreds of feet to the roads below.  
  
Syaoran screamed. "SAKURA!!!"  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Sakura opened her eyes. She was on her back in the middle of the road. Slowly she  
rose to her feet and looked around. No signs of Infinity appeared. Was it possible  
that she had beaten him?  
  
Suddenly, she felt a powerful earthquake shake the ground. She turned, and  
screamed. There before her, wearing a smile of intense evil and maliciousness, stood  
the Infinity card, yet now he was at least eighty feet tall!  
  
"Sakura," said the huge Clow in a deep, booming voice, "I gave you several chances to  
beat me in an attempt to have a little fun. Nevertheless, it seems that I have indeed  
underestimated you. You are a very powerful card captor, I must say, and I suppose  
that playing with my food has gotten a bit boring. So, Sakura, now it is time to die."  
  
Sakura watched in tremendous horror as the monstrosity approached, in succession,  
toward her. She trembled. Then an idea sprang to her mind. She pulled out the  
remaining Clow cards she had. The Big card. The only way to stand truly up to the  
Infinity's power. "Release the power within!" yelled Sakura as a field of light engulfed  
her and she grew enormous, almost as big as the Infinity himself.  
  
The Infinity smiled. "What a smart little girl." He raised his hand and fired another  
Arrow/Fire card combo blast at Sakura. She moved out of the way, watching as the  
beam took out a nearby neighborhood. People were dying and they didn't even know  
it.  
  
The Infinity rushed forward as fast as he could, grabbing Sakura and throwing her to  
her knees. He drew a sword. The Sword. Sakura drew her own. Two blades clashed,  
each equal in size and strength, leaving the only variable the will of a young girl and  
an unstoppable Clow.  
  
Sakura thrust the blade forward. Infinity deflected it down and shoved his own  
toward her. She rolled on her back and kicked Infinity in the face. He grunted and  
took a few steps backward. That was Sakura's chance. Darting to her feet and getting  
into a sprinting form, she threw herself at the Infinity card, sending them both flying  
backwards into a large building.  
  
With the Infinity pinned under Sakura's weight, she plunged the Sword deep into  
Infinity's stomach. The rampant feel of blood, black and thick, poured down into the  
streets of a frozen world. Blood splattered on Sakura's clothes.  
  
The Infinity card looked up at the young card captor. He smirked with his remaining  
strength. "Damn you."  
  
With those as his final words, his body turned into light and disappeared. Sakura fell  
to the earth beneath him and shrank back to her regular size.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
The young card captor known to some as Sakura limped steadily back toward the  
high tower that the Infinity had built. Her skirt was torn, her jacket gone, her shirt  
tattered and filthy with dirt, and blood running down her face, some hers, some that  
of the Clow card.  
  
Syaoran dashed out of the tower, followed closely by the other members of the group.  
"SAKURA! SAKURA!"  
  
He ran up to her and grabbed her as she started to fall. She looked into his eyes with  
what little sense she had left. Syaoran looked back with compassion. "It's okay now,  
Sakura, it's okay. You saved us all."  
  
Kero looked at the tower with a growing terror. "Sakura..."  
  
The injured card captor turned to her small, yellow pet. "What's the matter, Kero?"  
  
"I only want to know one thing... if the Infinity card is destroyed, why hasn't  
everything returned to normal?"  
  
Sakura stopped moving.  
  
A hand shot out of the ground and grabbed Meilin's leg, tossing her to the earth.  
Burning embers sounded quietly through the night as the angel of death roared forth  
in his hated form. His face now scarred with blood and his hair tangled. His eyes held  
an emotionless stare that no one should ever have to bear, and his teeth were gritted  
in the fullest of that which is anger. Silence escaped him.  
  
"We are not done yet, card captor."  
  
The Infinity raised his hand again, not caring for what a blow was shot; only that it  
strike the accursed card captor through the heart, and end her life forever. The blast  
discharged from his hand, aimed straight at the young girl. Still, a body took the full  
force of the hit. That was the body of Syaoran.  
  
He shouted, through it soon grew faint, and he tumbled to the ground, blood  
slopping from his chest nonstop. Sakura ran over and held his head. He smiled  
weakly. "Sa... Sakura... I did it for you... you're the only person... the only one that  
matters now... it's all up to you... I love you Sakura... save them..." He closed his eyes  
and fell into eternal slumber.  
  
Sakura didn't make a sound. Slowly and silently, she rose to her feet. Her long hair  
shaded her eyes. As dead as a zombie, she ambled toward the Infinity, pulling out two  
Clow cards. He smiled and welcomed a challenge.  
  
She looked down and laid the cards on the ground. Her last two cards. No reason left  
to fear him. He must die. She raised her wand and struck the two cards, summoning  
up the last resort against such a powerful creature. The Light and the Dark. The  
perfect balance between good and evil emerged.  
  
Kero and the others watched as Sakura moved closer toward the Infinity. Tears bent  
her eyes. Then she screamed. She ran at him, for it seemed that there was nothing left  
to lose.  
  
The Infinity shot a blast at Sakura. It struck her directly in her heart. She pitched   
over and hit the ground, skidding to the Infinity's feet. He smiled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Infinity smiled. "Keroberos, guardian of the Clow, now you see how pathetic your  
defenses are? No more places to run, guardian." The card rose into the air and flew  
toward Kero, Meilin, and Madison.  
  
Something halted him. He turned about. The Light and the Dark hovered quietly  
over Sakura, gazing down at the unmoving child. Infinity stared at them in confusion.  
Torpidly, they reached down toward Sakura with their outstretched hands and placed  
their fingers spread out over her heart. Then Sakura began to glow. Infinity watched  
it all in amazement.  
  
The two cards lifted the girl into the air, and now she floated between them. Then  
Light and Dark became beings of energy, and absorbed into the young girl's body.  
  
"Wha? What is this?" stuttered the evil Clow card.  
  
Sakura's eyes snapped open. Meilin screamed. Madison stared in amazement. Kero  
rubbed his eyes.  
  
"No! I killed her myself! How can she be alive?!" screamed Infinity as he shot another  
blast at her. It bounced harmlessly off the shield around her.  
  
Then she changed. She shed her clothes. Wings parted from her back, and she  
became an angel of life.  
  
Kero stared in awe. "My God... Sakura..."  
  
The girl floated toward Infinity. He fired at her repeatedly. Her wand flew into her  
right hand, transforming into a long, golden staff. She said no words. Her eyes were  
blank and empty.  
  
She engulfed Infinity in light. "Now... you will rest."  
  
The light exploded, temporarily blinding Kero and the others. When they looked  
back, Sakura and Infinity were gone.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"Where... where are we?" stammered Infinity as he looked around. They were in a  
barren field.  
  
"It is the gateway to Hell, Infinity. I intend to stop your evil indefinitely."  
  
Infinity gazed at the angel with a growing anger. "You think you are more powerful  
than I? Never! It is impossible!"  
  
The evil Clow who had spread so much pain throughout a week now turned to his  
captor as a being of madness, no longed controlling a sense of reason, but unleashing  
a wave of fury. He threw his hands into the air. "You shall feel the ultimate pain!"  
  
Light fell from the stars and grew into power in his hands. He launched that power,  
that uncontrollable rage, at the angel that was once Sakura. She watched silently, and  
uncontrollably fired a beam of light at him, cutting through his own attack and  
piercing him through the chest. A flame engulfed him and all he possessed, and he  
screamed mercy. Then silence.  
  
"NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
The angel approached Keroberos, Meilin, and Madison, but turned to Syaoran. She  
knelt to him, placing her hand on his forehead. Slowly, but surely, life began to flush  
through his cold face. He groaned. The angel stepped away.  
  
"Sa.. Sakura?"  
  
Then the angel broke. The Light and the Dark separated, and Sakura fell to the  
ground. The two cards returned to their captured bodies, and fell to the earth.  
Madison ran up to Sakura, followed by Kero, while Meilin checked on Syaoran.  
  
Sakura's eyes fluttered open. She stared impotently at her friends. "We did it."  
  
Madison smiled as she set a blanket over Sakura. "We did it."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Life returned to the city. Infinity's death caused everything he had made to  
disappear. No one realized what had happened except the card captors and their  
allies.  
  
It was windy outside, and Sakura stared from a bench in the park toward the lake  
spread before her. She felt... empty.  
  
Syaoran sat next to her. "Is this seat taken?"  
  
Sakura smiled and scooted next to him. He put his arm over Sakura's shoulder and  
looked out into the lake. "Sakura. You know you are the strongest one of us out  
there. No one else will ever be. If it hadn't been for you, I would be dead. I owe you  
everything."  
  
Sakura gazed into his soft eyes. "Let's put the past behind us, Syaoran."  
  
Then they kissed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
